Mushoku Impact

Though people like the King and Reida were becoming increasingly aware of how dangerous Paul and his Party were, they were among the few who knew the 'truth.' Most didn't even believe they were a Party of Saints, so, with the fearlessness of a young lamb entering into the den of a sleeping dragon, Vuldar forced open the door to Ei's room with a smile that made his intentions transparently clear.
Seeing his would-be quarry step back, the smile on Vuldar's face became even more sinister as he practically growled, "Don't blame me for what's about to happen, wench. Everything you're about to suffer is the result of your affiliation with that pretentious little brat..."
As Vuldar raised his hands like he was about to pounce on her, Ei's look of contempt morphed into one of unbridled disgust as she asked, "And what of the others? Are they also being beset by you and your filthy lot...?"
Sealing his fate, dark laughter emanated from Vuldar's throat as he said, "Oh, don't you worry about them. Once I'm through with you, I'll be sure to pay each of them a visit..."
"I see..."
"Huh...?"
Hearing Ei's voice suddenly emanating from behind him, Vuldar attempted to turn only to find his body both rigid and in immense pain. He had never experienced electrocution before, so he didn't fully understand what was happening as Ei muttered, "No evidence..." in a cold tone.
As Ei sliced downward with a vibrant purple sword that Vuldar had failed to see her draw, the pain in his body increased to an unfathomable level. It was only for a brief moment, but he felt as though every individual cell of his body was being sliced apart as an eye-shaped tear opened up to swallow him whole. When it faded, not even a hair remained of the once-proud Sword King.
Without even sparing a glance toward where Vuldar had been standing moments prior, Ei called out, "It's safe now." in a calm voice. Shortly after, Lilia emerged from a small storage closet, her eyes briefly searching the room as she asked, "Where did he go...?"
Shaking her head, Ei stated, "That's not important." before gesturing toward the unfinished meal she and Lilia had been enjoying. Paul had been worried about the two of them living alone, so instead of letting Lilia enroll as an ordinary student, she had been boarding with Ei as a live-in disciple. This was a beneficial arrangement for both parties as Lilia had a peerless Swordmaster to guide her while Ei had someone to prevent her from inadvertently burning down the Citadel.
Swallowing the knot that had formed in her throat, Lilia meekly replied, "I understand..." before making her way over to the half-eaten arrangement of food. She had always had more respect than fear towards Ei, but the knowledge that her interim Master could effectively erase someone from existence shook Lilia to the core...
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Unaware that her eldest son had just died, a slight frown marred Reida's expression despite the fact she had been smiling moments prior. Paul and Earl Aegir immediately noticed this, the latter seizing the initiation to ask, "Was there something foul mixed in with the food...?"
Shaking her head, Reida replied, "Nah, the food tastes fine. It's just...I feel like I've forgotten, or maybe lost something? I can't really explain it..."
No longer feeling hungry, Reida placed down the fork she had reluctantly picked up after observing Paul and Earl Aegir. Then, trusting her intuition, she stated, "I'm returning to the Citadel. Those brats wouldn't be able to understand even if I tried to teach them, so Paul can assist in the lessons without me."
Without waiting for a response, Reida rose to her feet, approached the nearest window, and promptly leaped out. They were on the third story, but someone who could casually leap more than 70m into the air didn't concern themselves with falling ten.
Rising after her, Paul followed Reida to the window but elected not to leap out. Instead, he observed her with a severe expression on his face as she blitzed across the kilometer-long parade field in seconds. Earl Aegir also rose to his feet, proposing, "Perhaps it's for the best if we end our brunch here. There is still more than an hour until the lecture you and the Water God were expected to attend, so you've more than enough time to follow after her if you'd like."
Though he was tempted to do exactly that, Paul eventually shook his head after mentally accounting for the location of his allies. Even if the King had died the previous night, it would take weeks before power and authority could be transferred to the First Prince. And that was assuming he was allowed to take the throne at all. Thus, unless Orsted himself had invaded the Citadel, the incident that triggered Reida's abnormal reaction shouldn't have anything to do with them. At the very least, they shouldn't be in any significant danger...
"It should be okay. There are many capable people within the Citadel. If a situation occurs that they and Reida can't settle, my presence would only complicate things..."
"Mmm...knowing your limits is a good thing. Trusting in your companions is also important..."
Not wanting to get into a lecture, Earl Aegir allowed his words to trail off as he pulled out an ornate silver pocket watch to compare its time against a mounted clock. After confirming the times were the same, he nodded in approval before pocketing the watch and saying, "I'll have someone show you to the amphitheater where you'll be rendering your assistance. There should be a class going on, so you can alleviate any doubts you may have by observing another instructor."
"Right."
Though his interest in the Citadel was increasing by the moment, Paul suppressed his curiosity as one of the most secretary-like women he had ever met escorted him to a large, open-air theater. There, a total of thirty-three students had gathered in the arena, several of which were dressed in fine clothes that were better suited to a ballroom than a battlefield.
Recognizing Jean among the three instructors, Paul resisted the urge to wave and interrupt the class as he found a place to sit in the stands. She noticed him around the same time as the other instructors, but instead of walking over or waving, she just offered a subtle nod before returning her attention to an ongoing spar.
Seeing the lackluster abilities of the students, Paul wasn't surprised. The oldest appeared to be around 12-13 years old, and it was clear they didn't care about swordsmanship. And why should they? Most of them wouldn't leave the Capital their entire lives, and, by this age, their respective paths had already been decided. Those that were lucky enough to be born First or Second Sons bore the responsibility of continuing their family's legacy. As for the rest, they would invariably become low to mid-ranking Knights or servants within the Houses of higher-ranking Nobles...
With half an hour passing like three, Paul began to reconsider his deal with Earl Aegir. Fortunately, just as boredom reached a peak, the lead instructor, a blonde-haired man with blue eyes who appeared to be in his twenties, gathered the students for a few parting words before dismissing them. Unfortunately, no sooner had the students started to disperse than both he and his colleague gravitated toward Jean, their proximity much closer than proper etiquette dictated.
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Paul muttered, "Of course..." as he rose to his feet and approached the trio. He didn't know what they were saying, but the forced smile on Jean's face made it clear she wasn't amused by whatever they were proposing.
Noticing Paul's approach, the blonde-haired man, donned in stylish and extremely expensive-looking armor that consisted of a muscular, ebony-black cuirass, ornate golden greaves, matching gauntlets, and pauldrons turned to him and noted, "You're that fellow who was loitering about the lower rungs of the cavea. If you've no business here, you should excuse yourself. My associates and I aren't in the habit of entertaining vagrants."
Though Paul's clothing was reasonably high quality, it was far from the standards of Capital Nobles. He had also developed a habit of wearing his collar open, something no 'upstanding' Noble would even consider. Thus, at first glance, he gave off the appearance of a well-off mercenary rather than a bonafide, albeit former, Noble.
Resisting the urge to spartan kick the twenty-something in his chiseled jawline, Paul adopted a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he said, "One of your 'associates' happens to be a member of my Party and one of my most trusted allies. If I come to learn you and your friend have been harassing her, you're going to be receiving an introduction to the ground. And trust me, your relationship will be intimate."
Scoffing as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world, the blonde-haired man turned to Jean and asked, "This cur is the 'legendary' Paul Greyrat? Given your lady-like bearing and disposition, I expected a lot more than...whatever this is."
Visibly suppressing a sigh, Jean took it upon herself to gesture to the two men, explaining, "These two 'gentlemen' are Viscounts Alex Goldweaver and Marcus Blackbird, Sword Saints and Companion Knights of the 22nd Chivalric Order..."
Hearing Jean mention his pedigree and rank, an unabashedly proud smile developed across Alex's face. He was only twenty-two years old but had already attained the Rank of Companion in just two short years. With his talent, not even his status as the Fourth Son of House Goldweaver could prevent him from reaching the Rank of Knight Commander or even Grand Officer in the future.
Contrasting whatever expectations Alex may have had, Paul appeared wholly unimpressed as he remarked, "That explains the pomp. Just how long do you spend polishing that 'immaculate' armor of yours? Oh, let me guess, someone else shines it for you...?"
Understanding what Paul meant when he placed extra emphasis on the condition of his armor, a contemptuous expression formed across Alex's face as he remarked, "Not everyone feels the need to prove themselves by slaying mindless beasts and routing poorly equipped bandits. Nor do they need to resort to forbidden techniques to stay relevant in a society that has disowned them..."
Since the only people who had 'disowned' him were envious asshats and people wholly unaware of the situation, Paul couldn't help rolling his eyes in response to Alex's taunting. He genuinely didn't care what the man had to say; the only thing that mattered to him was whether or not he and his little shadow were harassing Jean.
Ignoring the contemptuous gaze Alex was giving him, Paul looked past him and asked, "Have these bunglenuts been badgering you...?"
Though she knew what would happen if she answered yes, a wry smile developed across Jean's face as she replied, "I have refused each time, but Viscount Goldweaver seems determined to have me attend dinner at his family's residence. As for-"
Before she could absolve Marcus of any overt misconduct, Alex stepped in between Jean and Paul; his blue eyes narrowed as he said, "What I do and who I invite to dinner are my business. As for Dame Jean...though she may be a member of your Party, you've no right to meddle in her personal life. No one here is forcing her, so take your petulant envy elsewhere."
As if it was supposed to scare him off, Alex placed his hand on the sword at his hip. He had heard the news regarding Paul's nomination as Reida's successor, but no true Sword God user feared a member of the Water God School. With the amount of effort he had made over the past sixteen and a half years, he was absolutely sure he could trounce a thirteen-year-old brat playing at being an adult. Paul may be the youngest Sword and Water Saint in history, but the methods he used to obtain said ranks were known to all. There was no way he could defeat a 'genuine' Sword Saint...
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Seeing Alex place his hand on the pommel of his sword, Paul's expression morphed into a deadpan as he asked, "Seriously...?" in an annoyed tone.
Before Alex could respond to Paul's words, Jean garnered the attention of everyone present by chiming in to declare, "The Viscount is correct. I am more than capable of making decisions for myself..."
Misunderstanding Jean's intentions, an arrogant and victorious smile developed across Alex's face as he sneered in Paul's direction. He was so full of himself that he didn't even consider that Jean would follow up her previous statement by adding, "To that end, I ask that the Viscounts step aside. It isn't very courteous to block the path of a lady, much less one who already has an escort..."
Without waiting for the duo to respond, Jean walked past them and linked arms with Paul. When Alex saw this, his expression went from disbelief to cold fury as he stated, "Someone of your caliber and beauty shouldn't be wasting your time with a reprobate such as this. If you joined the Knights, I could put in a good word and have you promoted to the Rank of Member 1st Class without cause. Even if this cur becomes Water God in the future, it won't be for another ten to twenty years at the earliest. Don't waste the most important years of your life-"
Interrupting Alex's speech, Paul lazily remarked, "For someone who tells others not to meddle in people's personal lives, you sure do chatter a lot. And seriously, man? Trying to bait a woman with promises of 'putting in a good word' for them? That's just sad..."
Glaring daggers at Paul, Alex growled, "I've heard just about enough from you...!" as he retrieved a pristine white glove from his pocket. The moment he tried to throw it at Paul's face, however, Jean deftly snatched, her eyes narrowed as she said, "The sentiment is mutual..." before throwing it back at him.
Not anticipating Jean's actions, Alex found himself at a momentary loss. However, instead of acknowledging what she said, he resumed glaring at Paul, asking, "Cowering behind a woman? And here I thought you couldn't disappoint me further..."
Instead of reacting as Alex expected, Paul adopted a 'friendly' smile as he mused, "Cowering? I'm just allowing Jean to do as she pleases. You know, that thing you arrogantly encourage others to do despite actively trying to sway and manipulate her...?"
Reacting like someone that just had tea thrown into their face, Alex took a deep breath, eyes widening and nostrils flaring as he replied, "Slanderous cur! You think you're in any position to lecture me!? I'll have that tongue of yours ripped from your mouth...!"
Though he really wanted to do it himself, Paul stood still and maintained his 'friendly' smile as Jean released his arm and stepped forward to slap Alex in the face. Paul would have punched him, personally, but seeing the man reel back as a crisp smack echoed throughout the amphitheater was pretty satisfying...
As Alex found his foot, hand gravitating towards his cheek with a look of disbelief on his face, Jean took the liberty to remind him, "My Master may have had his status and title stripped away, but it doesn't change the fact he was born to the Lord and Lady of House Notos. He is also the Special Envoy of the King and the chosen successor of the Water God. If he goes on to become the next Water God, the only person he will be obligated to answer to is the King. Remember that the next time you refer to him as a cur or question his standing..."
Answering in Alex's stead, Marcus held his long-time friend back as he adopted a smile and replied, "Please forgive my friend his indiscretions. It is no secret he has become infatuated with Dame Jean. Ardor is known to cloud the minds of men and women alike when the mark of their affection is beholden to another. It was never his intention to insult or offend..."
Hearing Marcus's words, the look on Alex's face alternated between hate and disgust. He clearly didn't agree with them but forced himself to smile near the end as he expressed, "Viscount Blackbird is correct...I permitted my worry for Dame Jean's future and prospects to cloud my judgment. It was never my intention to offend the King's Envoy..."
As Paul's status as a Special Envoy placed him as a member of the Royal Court, even if only provisionally, he could make things difficult for Alex if the King lent his ear. The latter had been aware of this from the start, but seeing Jean look past him as Paul approached had caused him to lose the facade of calm and poise he had painstakingly cultivated over the years.
Understanding that Alex was attempting to cover his ass, there were few things Paul would have enjoyed more than kicking it then and there. The thing that stopped him was Jean returning to his side and linking her arm through his. Similar to Marcus placing his hand on Alex's shoulder, this was her way of holding him back, not because she was worried about his chances of victory, but because they hadn't come to the Capital to pick a fight.
At least not yet...
Forcing a 'friendly' smile, Paul responded to one of Alex's first questions, explaining, "I was led here by one of the Dean's secretaries. My teacher has arranged to have me exhibit my skills and assist with lessons at least thrice a week. Earl Whiteowl happily agreed to her suggestion, so here we are..."
With an expression that looked like he had swallowed a bug, Alex replied, "I see..." in a somber tone. He was scheduled to teach three more classes today, which meant he would have to tolerate Paul's presence for at least an hour, maybe four. He could use this as an opportunity to embarrass the fallen Lordling, but that probably wouldn't earn him any favor with Jean or the Earl...
While cursing like a sailor within his mind, Alex adopted a 'friendly' smile of his own as he said, "I'm sure the students will be beside themselves with anticipation to have the 'legendary' Paul Greyrat as an instructor. My class ordinarily focuses on Sword God techniques and footwork, but it wouldn't hurt to give students a taste of what both Schools are capable of..."
Imagining Paul attempting to show off only to have his guard broken like a piece of fine glassware, Alex's smile gained the undertones of a sneer. If Paul were foolish enough to pit his Water God Style against his Sword God Style, Alex would happily shatter the illusion of his prowess.
Seeing through Alex's surface thoughts, Paul had to resist the urge to roll his eyes as he replied, "We'll see. Based on your reaction, I would imagine they're more likely to criticize and condemn me. It's amazing how brazen people can be when they know nothing of the circumstances surrounding someone..."
Interpreting Paul's words as a taunt, Alex couldn't prevent himself from snorting. It wasn't nearly as condescending as his previous snort, but it conveyed his disdain for Paul's bravado clearly...
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After returning to the Citadel and finding no emergency, Reida grabbed one of the on-duty sentries by the collar, asking, "Did anything happen while I was away?" in a threatening tone.
As Reida was somewhat notorious for beating the hell out of people, a noticeable shiver racked the body of the young sentry as he replied, "T-T-The only thing of note is the arrival of the Sword King, Sir-"
Without waiting for the youth to finish, Reida dropped him before taking off like a bullet towards the depths of the Citadel. She knew her coward of a son wasn't daring enough to do anything in front of the students, so she ignored the lecture halls and dojos as she made her way toward the instructor housing area.
Detecting traces of Electro Energy even before she arrived, a conflicted look marred Reida's face as she halted outside the door to Ei's and Lilia's room. She could feel the Vision nestled between her breasts humming as it absorbed imperceptible Elemental Particles from the air, and, though it wasn't noticeable to most people, Reida could feel an extremely powerful sword intent lingering in the air.
Understanding what must have transpired, an uncharacteristically tired sigh emanated from Reida's throat. She wasn't fond of the man Vuldar had become, but there was a very brief period where she had enjoyed watching him grow. Perhaps if she had praised and held him more, his father wouldn't have been able to control and manipulate him with such ease...
Shaking her head, Reida muttered, "No sense in regretting the past..." before turning away from the door to Ei's room and walking over to her own. She suddenly felt exhausted, so while it would probably be better to report the situation to the King and do damage control with the Greenbull family, she decided to take a nap. If someone came by looking for Vuldar, she would tell them the truth; she hadn't seen him once since he ran away crying weeks ago...
With that in mind, Reida plopped face-first into her bed, her voice audibly strained as she muttered, "Dumbass..." in a sulky tone...
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Though most students had a habit of showing up mere moments before class was supposed to start, Philip Boreas Greyrat had always enjoyed being among the first to arrive wherever he went. His eyes appeared to be perpetually shut, but the reality was that he had been born with enhanced vision, not all that dissimilar to Paul. Instead of the ability to track fast-moving objects with ease, however, his eyes were able to zoom in on and enhance the details of whatever he was observing.
While some might consider such an ability incredibly useful, the truth of the matter was that it was an extreme inconvenience. Despite his efforts, Philip had never been able to control his nascent Demon Eyes. When his vision wasn't constantly zooming in and out, it was giving him super high definition views of the individual pores on people's faces. Thus, unless he was attempting to intimidate someone with his almost ghostly-blue eyes, he kept his eyes squinted to the point they appeared closed.
Fortunately, while many considered him to be pretty creepy, Philip's propensity to squint ensured he almost always had a smile on his face. This made him seem a lot more approachable than other Nobles, so he was fairly among middle and low-ranking Nobles.
As per usual, Philip opened his left eye just enough to get a better view of his surroundings the moment he entered the amphitheater. When he did, his vision immediately focused on several prominent features around the arena before 'involuntarily' zooming in on Jean's breasts and the seam of her formfitting white pants. Then, and only then, did he notice a man with hazel brown hair and familiar leaf-green eyes looking toward him.
Recognizing the man's identity pretty much instantly, the smile on Philip's face became more prominent as he squinted his eyes and made his way over to the arena. Ever since Jean and Eula had arrived, Philip had been eagerly yet patiently awaiting Paul's appearance. Part of this was due to a desire to ask how Jean and Eula had aged up alongside him, but the main reason was as could b expected. If he could receive the backing of House Notos through Paul, his chances of inheriting the Lordship would increase exponentially. At the very least, that's what his father, Lord Sauros Boreas Greyrat, had told him during their most recent exchange...
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(A/N: Looks like Paul isn't the only one playing politics...Amarant is a Lord for a reason xD...)

"Wake up. We've got places to be this morning."
"Nnngh..."
Though he was usually quick to rise, Paul rolled away from Reida when she tried to rouse him. She had been running him ragged for nearly three weeks, both day and night, so he didn't feel like moving now that she had given him a day off.
Prompting Paul awake, Reida created a thread of Electro Energy between her index finger and thumb. The moment Paul heard the tell-tale chirp it made, he instantly leaped out of bed, barely evading Reida's attempts to poke his ass.
Amused by Paul's reaction, a deep-throated chuckle emanated from Reida's throat as she squinted her eyes and remarked, "See? You're full of energy. Now, get dressed. Today may be a day off from training, but that doesn't mean you have time to laze around. We're having brunch with the Dean of the Royal Academy. After that, we'll be attending an Intermediate Swordsmanship class as guest lecturers."
Understanding this was Reida's attempt to help him meet with Philip, a wry yet appreciative smile developed across Paul's face as he offered a curt, "Thanks." Reida rolled her eyes in response, but a faint smile could be seen on her face before she turned away to retrieve a fresh change of clothes. It was pretty common to wear the same outfit for days at a time, but Reida liked to freshen up a bit before venturing into places filled with Nobles. She wasn't particularly self-conscious, but she'd rather not smell like sex around snobby and judgmental 'asshats'...
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After changing into their respective attires, Reida and Paul took a detour around a parade field nearly a kilometer long before entering a building not all that dissimilar in design to the Citadel of Reida. There, after waiting for a short while, they were permitted entry into the Dean's office, within which stood a nearly two-meter tall man with a Hedwig-like owl sitting on his left shoulder.
As could be expected of the most prestigious institution in the Asura Kingdom, potentially even the entire world, the Dean of the Ars Royal Academy was an aged yet gentlemanly-looking fellow that exuded the aura of a Knight and Scholar. He was nearing sixty-eight years old but possessed the physique and stature of someone much younger despite his solid white hair, neatly groomed beard, and stylish mustache.
While Paul was evaluating him, the Dean, more commonly known as Earl Aegir Roehn Whiteowl, was doing much the same. His piercing blue eyes radiated a fierce intellect while the medals adorning his ebony breastplate alluded to the wealth of experience he had accumulated over his decades of service to the Kingdom.
After a moment of tense silence, Earl Aegir offered what appeared to be an approving nod as he stated, "Outstanding. It's no wonder His Majesty and the Water God have taken an interest in you. I sense a phenomenal power within you, but you carry yourself as any respectable man ought to, with measured dignity..."
Not sure how else to respond to the man's words, Paul simply smiled as he replied, "The Earl's words are too kind. I am-"
Before Paul could continue with the pleasantries, Reida abruptly elbowed him in the ribs, saying, "Cut it out. You're no longer a Noble, and we didn't come here to play politics. You're a Swordsman now. Time to start acting like it."
Resisting the urge to point out that 'playing politics' was the exact reason they were at the Royal Academy, Paul ultimately rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya..." in a lazy tone.
Amused by the duo's interaction, a grandfatherly chuckle emanated from Earl Aegir's throat as he reached up to caress his beard. He was a warrior himself, and while he didn't wholeheartedly approve of Reida's words, he understood where she was coming. At his age, adherence to manners and etiquette seemed increasingly like a waste of time...
After his brief chuckle, Earl Aegir sent his owl-like familiar to roost as he suggested, "Let us away to my private conference room. We can discuss the matter of your tenure as a guest lecturer over brunch."
Gesturing to the double doors on the right side of his office, Earl Aegir waited for Reida to practically kick them open before walking around his desk and encouraging Paul to enter before him. Within was a rectangular wooden table that could easily seat twelve people, and, as was often the case in Noble conference rooms and studies, various trinkets and trophies that served as conversation subjects lined the walls and shelves.
Noticing a rather large number of taxidermied owls, Paul didn't even need to ask before Earl Aegir revealed, "It is tradition for main-line descendants of House Whiteowl to have an owl companion. These eight are the friends I have lost over the years. I keep them here as a reminder of my past and to never become complacent..."
Though Earl Aegir was speaking to him, Paul could tell the elderly man's mind was far from the confines of the conference room. It was only for a brief moment, but he had the distant look of someone that had seen and experienced a little 'too much' in life. It was evident that parts of him still lived in the past, perennially trapped in instants where he could have tried just a bit harder to guarantee the outcome he desired...
Noticing Paul staring at him with a mixture of concern and respect, a grandfatherly smile developed across Earl Aegir's face as he muttered, "You're a good lad..." before walking past him and taking his seat at the head of the table. Paul eventually followed suit, sitting next to Reida and ignoring her as she asked, "What the hell was that about...?"
Freeing Paul from the obligation of having to respond, Earl Aegir rang a tiny silver bell that prompted an aged Butler and half a dozen traditionally dressed Maids to enter the room. Reida was a bit of a brute, but she was still the Water God. It wasn't often Earl Aegir entertained guests of such import within the Academy, so he pulled all the stops by having his staff prepare a small feast.
"I was unaware of your preferences, so I had my people prepare a little bit of everything. Please, enjoy. No need courtesy or restraint."
Taking Earl Aegir's words at face value, Reida promptly tore off an entire leg of lamb and began chowing down on it with her bare hands. This was a rather stark contrast to Paul, who, despite his inordinate appetite, took the time to arrange his plate and employ utensils.&nbsp;
With his Butler arranging his plate, Earl Aegir took a moment to look over Paul's and Reida's plates before focusing his steely, blue-eyed gaze on the former as he asked, "While this is a little forward, mind telling me the actual reason you're trying to enter the Academy? You should know that the First Prince has it out for you and your companions. I already warned those two lasses, but I'll afford you the same warning. Never expose your hand before a mad dog unless you're willing to lose a few fingers..."
Though he understood what the Earl was trying to say, Paul didn't have much of a choice unless he wanted to take a back seat and let matters take their course. Approaching Philip might put the man in danger, but it also put him in a better position if he intended to become the future Lord of Fittoa. The First Prince couldn't simply order his execution, so his most likely course of action would be to pull James to his side by promising his support in the upcoming succession dispute.
While the backing of the 'future King' sounded like a tremendous boon on paper, the truth of the matter was that House Boreas had opposed the First Prince, or, more accurately, the Nobles backing him for years. A lot of hardliners within the Capital wanted to 'cleanse' the Kingdom by expelling all non-humans from their borders. If that were to happen, House Boreas, and the Fittoa Region as a whole, would suffer immensely.
Deciding to be partially honest, Paul revealed, "The Lord of the Milbots Region has petitioned me to help smooth relations with House Boreas of the Fittoa Region. To that end, I intend to meet with the First and Second Sons of House Boreas to determine which, if any side, is worth supporting in the upcoming succession battle. When I heard Philip was attending the Royal Academy, I figured he may as well be the first I speak with."
Nodding his head, Earl Aegir's eyes appeared to lose focus for a moment as he muttered, "I see..." in a thoughtful tone. He knew Paul wasn't telling him everything, but that wasn't a surprise. Only knaves and fools revealed more than could be readily verified through observation.
Without actually needing to consider his response, Earl Aegir offered a second nod as he said, "Very well. From today onward, you are free to wander the grounds of the Royal Academy. Certain areas, such as the female bath and dormitory, are understandably off-limits, but you can enter any other facility that isn't labeled as restricted. In exchange, I ask that you assist in the Intermediate Swordsmanship classes at least thrice a week. I believe this arrangement benefits both of us...?"
Returning a nod of his own, Paul answered, "Agreed." in a curt tone. He wasn't too enthused about the prospect of having to babysit a bunch of pretentious Nobles, but at least he would be able to see how things were going in Jean's and Eula's classes. They had said there were no issues thus far, but it wouldn't be the first time they had glossed over something to keep him from losing his cool or going on a rampage.
Seeing through Paul's thoughts, at least partially, an amused chuckle emanated from Earl Aegir's throat as he replied, "Excellent. Then, with that out of the way, why don't we focus on our meal? If we chatter much longer, our raven-haired friend here might eat everything..."
Raising her right brow, Reida ceased shoveling food into her mouth long enough to ask, "You picking a fight...?" in a challenging tone. In response, Earl Aegir immediately shook his head, an amused smile lingering on his face as he mused, "Not even if our ages were reversed."
"Hmmm..."
Though she briefly narrowed her eyes, Reida eventually decided to let the Earl off and focus on her meal. Even in his heydey, Earl Aegir was a mere Sword Saint. He had clearly persisted in his training, but there was no way his aging frame could keep up with the strains of high-level combat. If he could still execute even a single Longsword of Light, Reida would be more than impressed. She may even respect him.
Unaware of Reida's rather rude thoughts, Earl Aegir engaged Paul in some casual conversation as the two of them ate their meals at a relaxed pace. Reida was quickly bored by this, but Paul had always harbored respect for the elderly. He could also count the number of 'reasonable' Nobles he had met on a single hand, so he rather enjoyed the conversation...
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While Paul and Reida were away at the Royal Academy, an auburn-haired man whose expression and gaze exuded resentment seized the chance to enter the Citadel. His rank deterred anyone from getting in his way, so he was able to make his way to the very heart of the Citadel, specifically the instructor housing area.
Though he was tempted to use a magical tool to enter Reida's room, the man suppressed the urge as he stopped in front of a door several rooms down. His knock was initially met with silence, but after knocking several more times, a woman with amethyst purple eyes eventually answered the door, asking, "Can I help you...?" with a skeptical look on her face.
Instead of answering the woman's question, a malicious smile developed across the man's, Water King Vuldar's, face. He had waited for the better part of three weeks for his mother to leave the Citadel, and, now that she had, he intended to make the brat who had soiled her pay...
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Chapter 140: MI140: Black Flags as far as the Horizon